COMPETING in the Champions League ought to be a privilege, but the tournament is often a means to inflict cruelty.

Motherwell's first experience of the qualifying rounds was Panathinaikos' scathing counter-attacks. The Greek side's two goals at Fir Park last Tuesday arrived with an abruptness and efficiency that bewildered the home side and the clinical display of the visitors became something to appreciate.

The Lanarkshire ground was in the mood to be rousing, but the first leg revealed only disparities between the teams. Motherwell held their own in passages of play, but lack of a cutting edge allowed Panathinaikos to take control of the tie. Individuals were exposed, and the decisiveness Henrik Ojamaa displayed in the SPL last season was discarded as he broke upfield on occasion but failed to lift his head to see team-mates running into space on either side.

The game turned into a learning experience for Stuart McCall's side. Panathinaikos were controlled and disciplined in their application, and opportunities were seized upon. The Scottish side will have to inflict the same pain on their hosts in Athens on Wednesday if they are to survive, but that would also require Motherwell to become immediately savvy in playing at this level.

"We played really well and matched them nearly all the way," said midfielder Nicky Law. "But their clinical play – two or three passes and it's in the back of our net ... these are great lessons for us in what is a huge learning curve. They were also very difficult to break down and setting up like that is maybe something we can have a look at doing.

"We have good players who can hit teams on the break with good pace and you have to be conscious that we don't go over there and get embarrassed. There will be ways that we can maybe go there and hurt them but it's a massive task to turn it around."

McCall might have opted for a defensive approach in the first leg, but a team with two attackers on the flanks – Chris Humphrey and Jamie Murphy – and the creative Law in central midfield behind two strikers in Michael Higdon and Ojamaa, was unlikely to be restrained. The manager was emboldened by the team's display in a friendly against Everton, and might have felt that encouraging his players to attack could unsettle the Greeks.

Nobody felt compelled to regret that decision afterwards. The sense was that Panathinaikos were able to impose their greater quality in the decisive moments. They could also turn to international players on the bench, while Motherwell had Omar Daly and a clutch of youngsters.

The inequalities weren't stark, which was a testament to the home side's energy and willingness, and the prize for Motherwell might be renewed belief and appetite to return to this stage next season.

Law said: "We didn't look out of place playing against them: we can be proud of the way we matched up against a great European side.

"It was an enjoyable experience, something we want a lot more of. It can be an added motivation for this season. If we are [knocked] out, we have two games in Europa League qualifying to look forward to and hopefully these ones will stand us in good stead. Games like this whet the appetite and that probably increases the hunger to finish in a European place again."

The Fir Park board would also wish for more matches like this – last Tuesday's game drew a crowd of nearly 10,000 – when the fans are stirred into emphasising their commitment to the cause.

"Seeing the stands full and the support and backing the fans gave us was amazing," Law said. "Hopefully we impressed enough that even 2000 or 3000 come back regularly.

"We played well but we're aware we have another 90 minutes to go through. We'll go over there to try to do as well as we can. I imagine it will be a good atmosphere. Hopefully we can give a good account of ourselves."